John F. Bishop and Dick Reynolds brought in the first stock sheep -- landed in Bannack, November 7th, 1869. They were driven from The Dalles, Oregon -- 800 miles. Col. Charles Broadwater bought their wool for 19 cents. No good shearers in the country those days.
First County School Superintendent: J. D. Douglas was appointed School Superintendent, September 80th, 1867. Assessor: John B. Miller appointed March 15th, 1865; allowed $12.00 per day for services.
Sheriff: E. Smith Ball was first Sheriff, and C. M. Kingsbury second, after the organization.
County Attorney: E. T. Phelps, first Prosecuting Attorney, as per acct. paid by county commissioners, March 16th, 1866.
In the winter of 1862 and 1863, Neil Howie and Jack Carroll found quartz in Argenta, but they did not go back.
A Promissory Note.
On January 19th, 1864, Cyrus Skinner and Company gave the following note to George Chrisman & Co., to-wit:
On or before the first day of April, A. D. 1864, we jointly and severally promise to pay to George Chrisman, or order, Three Hundred Thirty-seven and 63/100 Dollars, in good, clean gulch gold, at current rates, without discount or defalcation, with interest at the rate of 10 per cent per month, for value received.
SKINNER & LUTZI.
This carried as security the building just west of the Goodrich House. (See illustration.)
One of the first trials for ownership was recorded as follows: Called meeting Saturday, October 20th, 1862, wherein Joseph Clark was plaintiff and Porter was the defendant. Trial for right of ownership to claim No. 6, above discovery, occupied by Areighi and Harby. Division being called for, plaintiff received 40; defendant 25. Case decided for plaintiff.
John Crits, the man who came west with the father of the author, claimed Lot No. 3, West Side of First Cross street in Bannack, November 25th, 1862. John was killed in Virginia City the next year by a cave in his mine.
Miners' Meetings.
Report of Committee on Arbitration. Independent District, March 19, 1863.
We, the committee, agree to decide that the disputed ground between C. M. Davis and Tood, McCable & Co., be equally divided, and that the lines be measured and run from Discovery on the front and back ends of claims, down to the claims to make them parallel with discovery.
J. B. SPENCER. D. K. BUTLER. JOHN FERGUSON.
Recorded March 20th, 1863.
M. H. LOTT, Recorder.
At a meeting held on Jimmie's Bar, Independent District, March 12th, 1863, we find the following:
Sec. 21. "Resolved that no lawyer, counsellor or attorney, shall be allowed to practice, plead or act in the capacity of an attorney before the court in investigating a dispute in this district."
Toll Bridge.
Know all men by these presents, that we, Lewis D. Irvin, Fred Burr and James Minesinger have claimed, staked and pre-empted, for the purpose of building a bridge across the Big Hole River, at the present crossing of said river, to Deer Lodge Valley, from Grasshopper Creek. The said bridge will be completed in good t!me for travel. Taken October 18th, 1862. (Afterward Brown's bridge.)
On January 28th, 1863, Henry Eagan, Barney Hughes, George Orr, R. McLeod, Lewis Simmons and William Sweeney, sold their claims to Butz and Peabody, for each claim -- $250.00. Most of these men were of the Fairweather party. I do not know why McLeod did not go with them. The sale was made to give them funds for out-fitting for the Yellowstone trip.
Settling a Partnership Quarrel.
Whereas, Gilbert Durand and Joseph Verger Suprenant, both of Bannack City, have been formerly partners, and a difference has arisen about the settlement of affairs, and the disposal of partnership property -- they and each of them hereby agree that the entire matter shall be referred to three referees. E. R. Purple, chosen by Gilbert Durand; P. C. Wood chosen by J. V. Suprenant, and a third to be chosen by the other two. All the business matters of said firm to be submitted to said referees, for final settlement, and also the disposal of Company property, to be decided fully by them. And we bind ourselves, each for himself, to abide by and carry out the decision of said referees, fully in all matters, both as regards partnership and present business, so as to make and conclude a full and entire settlement of all matters between them in any and every way. Signed this 2nd day of April, 1863.
JOSEPH VESSER RUPRENANT,
GILBERT DURAND. His (X) Mark.
Witness: H. P. A. SMITH.
Under the agreement, we have chosen C. M. Davis as third referee in matter within mentioned.
E. R. PURPLE
P. C. WOOD.
Recorded April 4, 1863.
Findings Were as Follows.
The undersigned arbitrators, in the matter of difference between Gilbert Durand and J. V. Suprenant, find and award as follows, to-wit:
That the said co-partnership property, now on hand, amounts to $1,871.38. That the net receipts of the co-partnership, since its existence, is $744.45. The value of outstanding credits, $50.00. That J. V. Suprenant's indebtedness to Gilbert Durand is $1,141.55, and we hereby award to Gilbert Durand, the entire property of the co-partnership, of whatever name and description, together with the whole outstanding credits of the co-partnership, and we find that J. V. Suprenant is indebted to Gilbert Durand in the sum of Thirty-three 66/100 Dollars, for which amount we judgment against said J. V. Suprenant and in favor of said Gilbert Durand.
E. R. PURPLE.
P. C. WOOD.
C. M. DAVIS.
April 4, 1863.
Martin Barrett relates the following, to-wit: That fellow Durand was called a tough citizen, but he treated me mighty well. I bought a wagon from him, for which I was to pay $125.00. I gave him my sack, and he weighed out what I supposed was $125.00. When I got home, I weighed. my dust, and found it $150.00 short. I returned to Bannack, and called Durand's attention to it, and he gave me back $150.00.
Mrs. Martin Barrett and Mrs. Philip H. Poindexter planted the first dandelions in Montana, the spring of 1868.
Mrs. Barrett tells that her first wash day on the ranch was a surprise to her. The boys, Joe and Mart, had not taken very kindly to the wash tub, so had accumulated a great heap of soiled material, which they had thrown under the bunk. Her surprise was the finding of $1,200.00 that had been placed there for safe keeping.
First White Child Born.
The first white child born in Bannack was born in December, 1862, to the wife of B. B. Burchett. His father, being a southern sympathizer, named him Jefferson Davis; but as the fortunes of war were against Jeffhe changed the boy's name two and one- half years later to Thomas Jefferson.
This was from Edwin R. Purple to Col. Sanders. He had sent, in 1875, a list of the people in Bannack prior to January 1, 1862.
Women in Bannack,
Arnold, Mrs. W. S.; Ball, Mrs. Smith; Biddle, Mrs. Dr.; Burch- ett, Mrs. B. B.; Burchett, Miss Mary; Bennett, widow and young daughter; Buckner, Mrs. Hank; Burchett, Miss Sallie; Brown, widow; Caldwell, Mrs. Thos.; Castner, Mrs. J. M.; Carroll, Mrs.; Caven, Mrs. J. B.; Dalton, Mrs.; Dalton, Miss; Donnelly, Miss Mary; Dalton, Miss Matilda; Davenport, Mrs. L. W.; Durgan, Widow Catherine; Hewins, Widow; Harby, Mrs. James; Kuster, Mrs. G.; Le Graw, Mrs. Frank (the Countess); Meredith, Mrs.; Peabody, Mrs. Susan; Roy, Mrs. Frank; Short, Mrs.; Tilley, Mrs.; Tyler, Mrs. H. T.; Waddams, Mrs. Wilson; Waddams, Miss Sarah; Zoller, Mrs. Henry; Zoller, Miss Emma.
At the Big Hole Bridge.
Burr, Fred; Coulan, James; Erwin, Louis D.; Minesinger, Jas. M.
The Big Hole, or Brown's Bridge, was built in the winter of 1862-3.
Scholars of First School in Bannack -- 1863.
Emma Zoller, Emma Cutler, Susan Burchett, Mary Teeters, Charles Van Camp, J. Edward Watson, Wright Prescott Edgerton, Matilda French, Wm. Jones, Henry French, Delia Cutler, George Burchett, Geo. Teeters, Jennie Bennett, Euphemia Van Camp, James U. Sanders, Mollie Dye, Margaret French, Pauline Edgerton, George French.
On October 19th, 1862, J. H. Morley, Mandeville Pitcher, Jule Morley got into their cabin. This is the first one we can find in the history of Bannack.
W. H. Bell was the first person to die in Bannack, November 2nd, 1862. Typhoid fever. Buried by the Masons. (See Langford.)
November 21st placer mines were discovered at Argenta. No good.
Morley speaks of cutting hay on the Grasshopper for his oxen, on December 9, 1862.
On December 20th Mandeville and Morley run a level for the Painter Creek ditch and found plenty fall. This was afterwards built by Smith & Graeter.
On Sunday, December 21st, a miners' meeting, called to pass the odious code of civil laws gotten up for benefit of a few pettyfoggers, but they were rejected by a two-thirds majority to adjourn until spring.
On December 22 about 20 men met in Morley's cabin to organize a town association to operate at Three Forks. Morley was elected chairman. Started for Three Forks, December 28th, 1862.
January 6th surveyed a townsite one mile below mouth of Gallatin River.
January 14th, 1863, Plummer shot Jack Cleveland.